VINdependent News & Updates

VINdependents who have not yet fulfilled their six-bottle annual commitment are invited to choose between three pre-configured shipments by December 21th (if no selection is made classic shipment will be shipped the week of 1/7): one all-reds, one all-whites and one mixed. They are also of course welcome to choose their own six wines using our online order form. The preconfigured options are:

Classic (Default)

• 1 bottle of Esprit de Tablas 2016 (Our flagship red blend, based on Mourvedre; 94-95 Vinous, "impressive persistence and suave, even tannins" & 92-94 Wine Advocate)
• 1 bottle of Mourvedre 2016 (A rare varietal bottling of our most important red grape; 94 BevX, "full bodied and perfectly balanced, with opulent texture")
• 1 bottle of Esprit de Tablas Blanc 2016 (Our flagship white blend, based on Roussanne, from a great Roussanne vintage; 93+ Wine Advocate, "full-bodied, textural and layered" & 93 Vinous)
• 1 bottle of En Gobelet 2016 (Our blend sourced exclusively from dry-farmed, head-trained vineyard blocks; 94 Vinous, "impressive depth and intensity" & 92+ Wine Advocate)
• 1 bottle of Grenache Blanc 2017 (Our varietal bottling of this lovely southern Rhone white grape that we introduced to California; 91-92 Vinous, "Sharply focused and energetic")
• 1 bottle of Cotes de Tablas Blanc 2017 (Our showcase for Viognier's lushness, brightened by Marsanne & Grenache Blanc; 92 Wine Advocate, "full-bodied, textural and layered, with lovely balance" & 92 Vinous)

• VINdependent Cost: $229.5

Red Only

• 1 bottle of Esprit de Tablas 2016 (Our flagship red blend, based on Mourvedre; 94-95 Vinous, "impressive persistence and suave, even tannins" & 92-94 Wine Advocate)
• 1 bottle of Mourvedre 2016 (A rare varietal bottling of our most important red grape; 94 BevX, "full bodied and perfectly balanced, with opulent texture")
• 1 bottle of En Gobelet 2016 (Our blend sourced exclusively from dry-farmed, head-trained vineyard blocks; 94 Vinous, "impressive depth and intensity" & 92+ Wine Advocate)
• 1 bottle of Full Circle 2016 (The tiny-production 100% Pinot Noir grown at founder Robert Haas's home in the cool Templeton Gap; just 450 cases produced; 93 points Vinous; "concentrated yet vibrant in style")
• 1 bottle of Grenache 2016 (Our first varietal bottling of the southern Rhone's signature grape since 2013; vibrant, spicy, and elegant; 92 Vinous, "Appealingly sweet red fruit liqueur and floral pastille qualities are joined by a subtle herbal nuance")
• 1 bottle of Counoise 2016 (A rare bottling of this traditional Rhone blending grape: bright and vibrantly fruity; 92 Vinous, "energetic in the mouth ... finishes with bright mineral cut")

• VINdependent Cost: $243

White Only

• 2 bottles of Esprit de Tablas Blanc 2016 (Our flagship white blend, based on Roussanne, from very low yields; 93+ Wine Advocate, "full-bodied, textural and layered" & 93 Vinous)
• 1 bottle of Grenache Blanc 2017 (Our varietal bottling of this lovely southern Rhone white grape that we introduced to California; 91-92 Vinous, "Sharply focused and energetic")
• 1 bottle of Cotes de Tablas Blanc 2017 (Our showcase for Viognier's lushness, brightened by Marsanne & Grenache Blanc; 92 Wine Advocate, "full-bodied, textural and layered, with lovely balance" & 92 Vinous)
• 1 bottle of Picpoul 2017 (Our seventh-ever varietal Picpoul; rich, tangy and tropical; just 250 cases produced; 90 Wine Advocate, "an expressive, fruit-laden rendition of this variety" & 91 Vinous)
• 1 bottle of Marsanne 2017 (Our fifth-ever varietal bottling of Hermitage's noble white grape, elegant and minerally; 92 Wine Advocate, "full-bodied, textural and multidimensional" & 91-92 Vinous)

• VINdependent Cost: $193.50

To receive the default mixed shipment, members need do nothing, though if you'd like it sooner than the week of January 7th please let us know. Those who prefer a different pre-configured shipment or a different ship date should contact the wine club team at 805.237.1231 x236 or wineclub@tablascreek.com.

Contact the wine club team at 805.237.1231 x236 or wineclub@tablascreek.com if you have any questions about shipments or membership.

Offering wine en primeur is a time-honored French tradition most often associated with first-growth Bordeaux estates. In outstanding vintages, valued customers are offered the opportunity to secure a limited quantity of sought-after wines at a special price in advance of bottling and subsequent general release. This year, we're offering our top red wines from the exceptional 2017 vintage: the 2017 Esprit de Tablas and 2017 Panoplie. Details on the wines:

2017 Esprit de Tablas

• PRODUCTION NOTES: Esprit de Tablas is Tablas Creek's signature red blend, always led by the dark red fruit, earth, spice and mid-palate richness of Mourvèdre (40%). In 2017, we also had outstanding Grenache lots, and we added the most Grenache (35%) we ever have in the Esprit, along with 20% Syrah and 5% Counoise for black spice and acidity. The result is a powerfully fruity, chocolatey Espritthat should provide excellent drinking anytime in the first two decades.
• PRESS: Vinous (Sept. 2018) 93-95 points, "vibrant, mineral-tinged black raspberry, cola and spicecake flavors that show excellent clarity and thrust. The mineral and spice notes drive an impressively persistent finish"

2017 Panoplie

• PRODUCTION NOTES: Panoplie is our elite Mourvèdre-based cuvée, made in the model of Château de Beaucastel's Hommage a Jacques Perrin and selected from the top 5% of lots that come into the cellar each vintage. In 2017, we chose two exceptional lots of Mourvèdre to represent 69% of the wine, and added roughly equal parts Grenache (17%) and Syrah (14%), producing a wine with layers of dark red currant fruit over Mourvèdre's meaty, mocha signature. It will be hard to resist young, but we expect it to age effortlessly up to 30 years
• PRESS: Vinous (Sept. 2018) 95-97 points, "superb energy and tension in the mouth, offering sweet, densely packed black raspberry, boysenberry and floral pastille flavors sharpened by a peppery spice nuance"

VINsider Wine Club members were invited to order futures at the 25% en primeur savings. Pricing and availability are detailed on this PDF en primeur order form. Orders must be submitted to wineclub@tablascreek.com (or by fax, phone or mail) by December 3rd, 2018. The wines will be available at the standard 10% VINdependent member savings upon their release.